The dark figure stared at Rein with burning yellow eyes and didn't move. Rein remained motionless as well, afraid that any movement might provoke it to attack. The stand-off gave her enough time to surmise in this odd lighting that she stood face to face with a large rat, but she was still unable to decipher its motive. It was difficult to know what to do without knowing what her opponent wanted. Nevertheless, she had to act before it finally decided to attack her and Pryce.
"Can you speak?" she asked.
The rat didn't relax its position but answered her in a low, intimidating voice. "I can."
"I don't wish to fight," Rein said. "I am not a threat; you have my word."
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It had been almost a month since Jorge escaped prison on his own, and devising a flawless plan with Calder to rescue everyone else was proving next to impossible. One afternoon, Calder grazed in whatever grass he could find through the thick snow, and Jorge returned from the lake carrying his lunch in an oversized leaf."What did you find?" Calder asked."Wouldn't you know it?" said Jorge. "The last of the fireberries."He chuckled and popped one in his mouth."Fascinating," Calder replied, quickly losing interest. "So you are absolutely against sneaking into the palace with the cat disguise you've been using to check up on your comrades?"
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Emperor Mentir shot around and looked at the coin bag resting a foot away from the mouse hole. Before the emperor had a chance to react, Pryce jumped back into the drawer and climbed into the one below while Rein darted out of the mouse hole and snatched the coin bag. When she made it back inside, Lusitania took the bag from her and ran off in the direction of rat and mice civilization. Rein didn't follow. Lusitania noticed and stopped."Why do you just stand there?" he asked. "Come along quickly!""I must be sure Pryce makes it back safely!" Rein replied."Pryce is lost, Rein!""I'm not leaving here without him, Lusitania!"
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The last light of the Northern sun shone in the sky when Jorge finally returned from his walk and reluctantly met up again with Calder."So what have you decided?" Calder asked."We'll go through with your plan. I'll ask to speak with the emperor.""Have you devised something to add to that plan at all?" Calder asked.Suddenly they both recognized the sound of frantic footsteps running towards them from the direction of the palace. They quickly bolted behind a tree and Jorge searched for some sort of weapon to arm himself. Unfortunately, with everything covered in snow and having been escorted out of the prison without a weapon, he was defenseless aside from his bare fists. Nevertheless, he was determined to make it
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Blood shot everywhere with the dust and shards, all of it showering over Rein while she ducked for cover. She peered over her shoulder with a look of sheer panic and saw Pryce's arm and leg protruding from behind what was left of the rock: the only parts of him that hadn't been crushed by it. They simply dangled there by their tendons as crimson poured from the mangled limbs and surged down the wall like a stream of magma.Rein couldn't tear her eyes from the scene and she trembled to the point where she struggled to regain her footing. Somehow her ability to process everything around her had vanished. She felt something caught in her throat: a sob or a scream, she couldn't tell which. Finally, she brought herself to shoot down the tunnel and escape the horror scene before she lost consciousness. She exited the palace, soared over the wall, and dove into the icy Sirene Lake to was
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The prisoners rampaged down the corridors brandishing their swords and any other weapons they were able to get their hands on. Those who couldn't find any weapons worked their creativity and made use of chairs, small tables, potted plants, and whatever blunt objects they could manage to lift. It was a war in itself. There were fistfights, sword-fights, and some of the palace workers swatted, kicked, and stomped on the rodents scurrying about on the floor. Jole and Travis managed to avoid most of the chaos and searched to find the woman who had freed them. Then they caught sight of a black cat, which called to them."Travis! Jole! It's me, Jorge!" Jole and Travis watched him jump onto a console table. "Listen, I require your aid with something. I suspect the emperor is still in the throne room because he isn't in his chamber. I plan to attack it."
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The next morning Gerardo woke up peacefully for the first time in ages. His eyes opened painlessly and his head turned without soreness as he studied his surroundings in astonishment. He lay on a chaise lounge covered with a fur blanket in the most luxurious cave he had ever laid eyes on. In front of him was a selection of fresh fruit on an oriental table, and further toward the entrance, Calder slept atop a cluster of cotton pillows.Gerardo did not desire to get up; he was too comfortable. With any luck, the forest sounds would help him to fall back asleep: the trickling water, the soft chatter of tiny voices, the wind rustling the leaves of the trees, the lulling birdsong... then a conversation between the voices of Calder (who had just awakened) and Dil distracted him so that relaxation was no longer possible for him to obtain.
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